Cargo Ship Loaded With 4,000 Kg Of Cocaine Seized Off Canary Islands, Crew Arrested

Spanish and French customs authorities have detained a Tanzanian-flagged cargo ship carrying an estimated 4,000 kilograms of cocaine around 130 nautical miles northeast of the Canary Islands.

The seizure was part of the multinational operation Pascal Lino 2024. During an unusual journey that raised suspicions among law enforcement officials, the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre for Drug Trafficking in Lisbon monitored the vessel.

The operation was coordinated nationally with the National Police and Civil Guard through the Coordination Centre against Terrorism and Organised Crime.

The cargo ship Ras has set off on an uneconomic voyage that began in Turkey and passed through the Mediterranean before arriving in West Africa.

After making stops in Sierra Leone and Guinea Bissau with no apparent loading or unloading, the ship made unusual movements towards the Iberian Peninsula, leading to closer surveillance by the authorities.

The Spanish Customs Surveillance Special Operations Vessel Petrel and the French Customs Patrol Boat DPF-3 coordinated the interception as the ship sailed 130 nautical miles from Lanzarote.

Per the officials, the quick action prevented the drugs from being transferred to smaller vessels bound for Spanish ports.

Ten crew members were arrested during the operation, including seven Turkish nationals, two from Azerbaijan, and one Dutch citizen.

The captain of the ship was also arrested, who was from Turkey.

Despite the intensive monitoring, finding the hidden narcotics became challenging. The cocaine was hidden in a hard-to-reach compartment between the ship’s cargo holds, making it difficult for officials to find it.

However, after a thorough investigation, the stash was found and confiscated.

After the successful operation, the Petrel escorted the seized cargo ship to the port of Arrecife in Lanzarote, where the drugs were unloaded, and the arrested crew members were handed over to authorities for further investigation.

The drug seizure is part of the Pascal-Lino-Iborra operation, an annual joint effort between Spanish and French customs agencies established in 2017.

The project aims to combat maritime customs fraud and illegal trafficking in the Cantabrian Sea, Mediterranean Sea and North Atlantic.

The operation not only involves naval and aerial cooperation but also allows for the exchange of protocols and best practices between the customs departments of both countries.

Per a senior official, the project allows effective responses to maritime trafficking and strengthens the operational ties between the countries involved.

Reference: Tax Agency